


easy (on the caffeine)

by pastel



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Drabble, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash, happy birthday jaemin!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-20 03:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20220694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastel/pseuds/pastel
Summary: “Hey,” it’s one of his fellow baristas, of course, since he’s still behind the counter, “You’re Jaemin, right?”He has wavy, dark hair falling into his wide eyes and teeth aligned with nearly architectural precision. In fact, each of his features is so remarkably distinct Jaemin finds looking at his entire face a little overwhelming this close-up, and Jaemin’s best friend is a model. He tightens his grip on his balled-up apron, pulls it closer to his chest.“Yeah, I am,” Jaemin replies, “You are?”Prompt: 'henmin coffeeshop au'





	easy (on the caffeine)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tinywriterfairy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinywriterfairy/gifts).

> three notes:  
1\. i have not actually worked in a coffeeshop before, so this is not the most accurate coffee shop au out there  
2\. this was written for melissa in the fornana fic exchange, which was really just an impulse secret santa done between a group of us on discord  
3\. happy 20th birthday na jaemin! you're a such sweet boy made of love and you deserve the world

It’s Jaemin’s first day on the job as a fully-trained employee, and he’s nervous. He's never had a job before, unless his makeshift lawn-mowing business from middle school counts.

On one hand, he's grateful he's managed to land a job at Nana’s Coffee + Tea, because as one of campus' most popular cafes he's guaranteed to make a decent amount of money surrounded by one of his first loves: coffee. On the other, he's terrified. The lines at NCT can sometimes stretch out the door, and while Jaemin knows his way around the professional-grade machines by now he's certain he's going to mess up somebody's order.

(Also, almost every other employee in the cafe is older than Jaemin by at least two years and none seem particularly inclined to talk to him, which is thoroughly intimidating in its own way.)

His one saving grace is that for his first week or so, he's only doing cashier duty, which just means taking customer orders and payment, and then passing the correctly marked cup back to the actual baristas. He's also scheduled with the other youngest employee at NCT, a junior named Henry, or something, but Jaemin has never met him, so it's not like it makes that much of a difference.

Luckily, the first part of his shift passes relatively uneventfully. He stumbles over a few orders, like that of a girl who wanted a vegan drink but was allergic to nuts, a harried-looking boy who ordered a whopping thirteen drinks, and someone who comes in only to buy a single bottled drink.

As relieving as it is that he hasn’t set the place on fire, Jaemin is more than ready for his break when it comes around. He’s not more than stepped away from the register than someone bumps into him, a shoulder into his side.

“Hey,” it’s one of his fellow baristas, of course, since he’s still behind the counter, “You’re Jaemin, right?”

He has wavy, dark hair falling into his wide eyes and teeth aligned with nearly architectural precision. In fact, each of his features is so remarkably distinct Jaemin finds looking at his entire face a little overwhelming up this close, and Jaemin’s best friend is a model. He tightens his grip on his balled-up apron, pulls it closer to his chest.

“Yeah, I am,” Jaemin replies, “You are?”

His coworker’s smile stretches even broader, revealing even more perfectly white teeth. “I’m Hendery! Are you taking your break now?”

“Hendery?” Jaemin repeats, unable to stop himself, just as he can’t help but watch the way Hendery’s lips curl around the syllables one more time.

Ah, so he’d had it wrong before. Hen - der - y. Not too hard to remember.

“And yeah,” Jaemin picks up where he left off, “I was planning on taking it now. My knees are kinda tired from just standing there for so long.”

Hendery nods sagely, like he knows exactly what Jaemin’s talking about - and he probably does, given that he’s worked here much longer than Jaemin. “I’ll join you,” he says, pulling his own apron over his head.

They shuffle through the narrow corridor to the break room, weaving and ducking to avoid bumping into any of the haphazardly stacked boxes of paper cups or stubbing a toe on the line of refrigerators.

There are two long, padded benches in the breakroom, outlets in the walls. Hendery sits down first, and Jaemin opposite him. It does feel good to sit down, his left knee gives a little_ pop! _ as it bends.

“We usually leave that side for anyone who needs to take a nap,” Hendery says, a little bit of a smirk in his voice.

Immediately, Jaemin rises again, but Hendery shakes his head and waves him to sit back down. “I’m just letting you know. You’re fine. It’s just Doyoung and Yuta on shift with us. Doyoung’s insecure about sleeping in public and Yuta’s more likely to squeeze some Mio into his water than risk missing that one customer he likes come in, so no one’s gonna need to use it.”

Jaemin nods, lips folded in a tight smile. “Got it,” he says, but it comes out more dryly than he intends. There’s an inch, maybe less between his knees and Hendery’s - he can feel the other boy’s body heat even through the material of his dark uniform slacks.

The more he looks at Hendery, the more he realizes that the older boy isn’t as starkly and immediately intimidating as the other two employees on shift with them. Instead, he possesses a slow, comforting charm. It’s like he has all the secret gifts of the world tucked in the crevices of his mouth, and he’s kind enough to share, if only he’s asked the right questions.

If Hendery is that - kind and wise and warm - then Jaemin? Jaemin is many things, but mostly, he’s_ curious_.

“Anything else I should know?” Jaemin asks, leaning forward just a little, his elbows on his thighs. “Tips and tricks of the trade?”

Hendery chuckles, and Jaemin notices that he doesn’t move away, doesn’t lean back into the wall with Jaemin’s movement. He tells Jaemin all about the little quirks of their coworkers (Taeil can’t drink coffee but loves making it, Kun’s boyfriend will come and sit at the bar for most of his shift just to be a distraction), about the faulty foamer on the right end of their older machine, about his recent determination to improve NCT’s latte art. Jaemin smiles through it all. Some of it really is useful, but it’s all interesting to listen to. 

Hendery is entertaining, soothing. Jaemin had walked into the breakroom tired and coming off one of the most nerve-wracking moments of his young life, but Hendery’s easy conversation was refreshing and energizing, in a way that felt… _ cleaner _than Jaemin’s go-to six-shot Americano.

“Oh!” Hendery flicks a glance at the watch on his wrist, “Our break’s almost up.” Jaemin wonders if it’s normal to find the ability to read an analog clock attractive. “So I guess since you’re mostly going to be dealing with customers…”

He trails off as he stands, offering Jaemin a hand. “It can be helpful to be a little flirty, you know?”

Jaemin can’t help the smile that spreads across his face, slow as butter. He takes Hendery’s warm, warm hand. “Oh, I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”

**Author's Note:**

> insert gif of save nct dream barista jaemin winking


End file.
